LINKS

19.11.05

Cotswolds shopping

Blogging very little at the moment, as the deadline for final Disney artworks is looming and I am up to my neck. But today was reserved for a day out. Winter has stamped his authority on the land and we wake to thick frost.

The woodburner is kept going 24 hours now. There was another powercut today - so our breakfast was gently warmed through on the stovetop. A true Scot would scorn my porridge recipe, which includes milk, flaked almonds, sultanas and cinnamon. Oh, and dark brown sugar to top.

First a quick trip to Burford Garden Center, who always have a splendid range of Christmas decorations, including my favourite Gisela Grahamcollection. If I had a dream job - apart from working for Disney - it would be designing baubles and gee-gaws.

On to nearby Foxbury Farmshop. Foxbury Farm produces and butchers its own meat - so you know exactly where your Gloucestershire Old Spot sausages came from and how the 'ingredients' were reared. They also sell a great range of fresh baked bread, local vegetables, regional cheeses and in season game meats. It's a valuable local employer and a small 'refusnik' against the encroaching dreary might of the supermarkets. And value for money too.

Finally, with the week's groceries sorted out, a quick half at The Fox at Barrington, before heading for home and the warmth of the fire. I managed a couple of scenic mini-movies but the good folks at Google are still approving them before publication...

Five cheers for hand-reared sausages and telling the corporate behemoths where to stick it. Once you have tasted hand-reared organic pork it is almost impossible to go back to eating the plastic mass-market capitalism version... :)

Yes, not really bunny weather - I think wild ones hibernate at times like this...what a great idea!

Dons, you have to admit - many things are nicer than shopping at Sainsburys..or Tesco...:-)

The sausages were...very good! What annoys me is the supermarkets have cottoned on to the new boom in farm produce and now sell (for instance) six 'speciality' sausages for a lot more than it would cost to buy from any high street butcher - most of whom make their own and sell them for half the price. Support local butchers! (Unless you're a veggie of course!)